Monday, November 30, 2009

I have boots!

Now, I wouldn't go so far as to call them winter boots... My poor mother wanted to get me some nice, sensible, ugly winter boots, but I saw these for $17 bucks at some store (I forget the name but it was basically a cross between TJ Maxx and the Salvation Army) and she couldn't pry them out of my fingers. They have a good-sized heel, and I can't really see myself trekking through ice and snow in them. However, they ARE totally hot! Yay!
Some shitty pictures that will just have to do:


Like? I sure do.

I also got two pairs of gloves for $1.50 and a nice jacket & crazy pants from the clearance rack at Target. It was a good day for shopping. I'll post pictures of all that tomorrow, or at least later in the week.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Dork Glasses

I have to come clean. Lately--and seriously out of NOWHERE--I've become obsessed with owning a pair of those big, black, oversized dorky glasses that I'm suddenly seeing on cute, pretty girls all around me. "Hmm," my inner self ponders. "I bet if I wore a pair of too-big, nerdy glasses like that, I'D look cute and pretty too!" And not just, you know, dorky and nerdy.
Look at this adorable, chic girl:
And one of the Olsens, god knows which:

And this crazy old lady who either has daring fashion sense or just really bad eyesight (who cares, I love her either way):
I have bad eyesight, but lost my last two pairs of glasses and therefore am going without. However, I have a serious itch to get a new pair now. I don't know if I can wait, though. Which is why I've been browsing fake glasses online, like these vintage-inspired Wayfarers I found on eBay for $12; these American Apparel Abby eyeglasses (that are, unfortunately, 55 freakin' dollars):and pretty much everything I've seen on Etsy. Some examples:

These are $47 total, so again, to much for me. But so cute! Dammit.

These are $29, still more than I want to spend, but I like the color and shape:
I'd put up more, but it's killing me to look at all these awesome glasses that I can't buy. For one thing, I'm low on spending money at the moment. And for another, I don't think I could buy just one pair. I want to have as many different pairs of glasses as I do shoes, so I can mix and match with my outfits and according to my every whim. I'm also hesitant to buy a pair online because I'd want to try them on first and make sure I don't look absolutely retarded before buying them.

Oh well. Maybe if I find a really cheap fake pair, I'll get them. And eventually I'll get new, real glasses (hopefully). I'll keep you posted.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Vintage Find of the Week

I didn't actually find it this week (I've had it for a while now), but I was wearing it today and realized I seriously need to feature it on here. I'm not a big T-shirt person in practice; but in theory.... Oh boy. I love fitted T-shirts (not those huge slouchy XXL made to fit all, including dinosaurs, although those are great for wearing JUST that oversized T-shirt while lounging sexily around your house), especially those with a funny or unexpected phrase or picture on them. Which is why I own this:

Yep. It's a pink T-shirt with a bold, all-caps message in yellow on the front: "Trust me, I'm a blonde." I found it at a secondhand store for a few bucks a few years ago, and to this day it still kills me. Because, um, although I'll admit that it's not the best picture quality ever, you can probably tell that I am not actually a blonde. Unless of course, the T-shirt means it in a figurative sense--in which case, it's pretty accurate! Otherwise, most people who see me wearing this shirt probably just automatically assume I am not, in fact, to be trusted. I don't know. I spend hours thinking about the implications of this shirt. But hey, it gets laughs. Once in high school I had a teacher stop in the middle of the lesson because he saw my shirt, read it, and started laughing mid-sentence.
So yeah. I love this shirt.
Feel free to share in the comments: Are you a T-shirt person? Do you have any T-shirts that make you laugh, or that you just love? Any great vintage finds lately? What do YOU think my T-shirt means? (Seriously, help me out here.)

Oh, also, for more great reading on this topic, check out this post at Daddy Likey.

What I Wore: Guest Edition!

The other day, I was complaining to my amazing friend Jill that I didn't have anything to blog about (there's only so many outrageously chic outfits I can wear per day), and she valiantly offered to help me out by giving me permission to write a post about the adorable outfit she wore!
It must be noted that Jill has great fashion sense. Everything I know, I learned from her (at least subconsciously). Here, she chose to go for a simple but totally stylish ensemble:


She used just two very basic colors for this outfit: white and black (although the shoes, technically, are silver)--and it came out great. She paired a black and white Beatles T-shirt with the cutest little black skirt ever, black tights, and silver flats.
I love the black in the T-shirt design; it kind of pulls the whole outfit together, and merges the shirt with the skirt. Also, haven't you heard? T-shirts are back in, people! I'm doing a post on that topic next (okay, actually, just one specific T-shirt that I have, not T-shirts in general).


Another trend that's hot right now: bangs! They've never worked for me, since my hair just cannot lie flat, but Jill rocks them here:She finished off the look with a sleek and sophisticated black peacoat (oh how I love peacoats), and I have to say, the silver flats really "pop" amongst all that black:


Too cute!

Finally, I asked Jill to impart some of her fashion wisdom to the rest of us, and here's what she had to say:
"Randomly take chances that no one would expect from you; even if it means talking yourself into actually stepping out the door with what you picked out or carrying a pair of jeans in your bag as a backup plan in case you lose your gumption. Just...go for it."

Best. Fashion. Advice. EVER. It totally applies to me (and I'm sure I'm not the only one), because whenever I pick out an outfit that's even a little over the top, I have to actually force myself to walk out the door wearing it. Most of the time, sadly, I just end up changing into something a little less attention-attracting. I told this to Jill, and she admitted to carrying jeans around with her all day while wearing the above outfit. Kindred spirits! And of course, I'm so glad she didn't succumb to the temptation to switch to regular old jeans... 'Cause, seriously, how adorable was that outfit? Right?

Sunday, November 8, 2009

What I Wore Today

It was unseasonably warm today, so I could ditch the coat and go out in something a little more fun. The lovely weather was making me feel daring, so I played around with a bunch of different things from my closet today. I ended up going to lunch late, like around 1:30, and missed out on the better sandwiches, but hey--anything for fashion!

Since it wasn't THAT warm, I figured I still needed to be covered up. So, I paired black-knee highs and a black sweater (with the sleeves rolled up, since it actually is pretty damn warm) with an outfit that consisted of jean capris, my new ModCloth I-Spy dress that I actually wore as a tank top, and my vintage Oxford heels--and, of course, my Shere Khan necklace and some dark red lips for that extra little punch (also from ModCloth (the necklace, not the lips)):








In the end, I guess I wasn't feeling that daring, because I decided to trade the capris for regular boot-cut jeans. I liked the look and all, but I guess I just wasn't ready to parade it in front of a campus that favors sweatpants and hoodies as every day attire. If I lived in the city, it'd be different. Oh well. This is what this blog is for: to release my inner fashion desires without actually having to risk feeling like a sore thumb in public.

Celebrity Fashion Spotlight: Zooey Deschanel


Seriously.



I've been talking about this post for a while now, so here it is (finally).

I've always liked Zooey Deschanel. She's cute as a button, and she has an awesome name--apparently her parents found the inspiration from Salinger's "Franny and Zooey," which I find amusing, since Zooey is the boy. I definitely think they picked the better one, though; Franny's just not as great a name. At all. She also beat her older sister Emily at the name contest, I'd say.
Besides her cool name, she's also been the Indie 'It' girl for a while now-- I assume because of her choice of film roles, as well as her part in the band She & Him with M. Ward. (Oh, and she's recently engaged to the frontman of Death Cab for Cutie.)
She sings, she acts, what else can this girl do? Oh yeah: dress really well. Damn her.
Soooo here are some of my favorite Zooey Deschanel outfits.



Great dress, awesome shoes, and I love what she did with her hair. This is a perfect example of effortless chic:





This girl knows how to rock vintage:


Again, effortless! I feel like I could never pull off a ruffled blouse the way Zooey can:

I also can't wait to try the shorts and tights combo. It's hardly anything new, but it never occurred to me to try it until I saw her doing it.



Again, ruffles are pretty much always a big "no" for me, but I love tights.
Here, Zooey pulls off both in a fun but sophisticated way that makes me jealous of her happy relationship with ruffles:



I believe this one is a still from a movie, but whatever. I love the huge whimsical necklace that she paired unexpectedly with the pink printed tank. Also, she's one of the few people who I honestly think looks good with bangs:



Eeeee! Hahah oh man. I don't know why, but this outfit KILLS me. The cute little white dress looks like she stole it from a china doll--but it's okay, because she undoubtedly pulls it off better than the stupid doll did. However, the icing on the outfit cake here is definitely the adorable pink bow in her hair. What an inspired choice that I would never be brave enough to do (yes, funny how pink hair bow=bravery for me):



This isn't an outfit per se, but it's just another example of how this girl can totally rock vintage-inspired looks. I love the fun pose, the retro bathing suit, and most of all the adorable sunglasses:


Yet again, Zooey Deschanel kills a look that I would never ever try myself. I wouldn't even recommend this outfit for anyone else. Zooey, however, looks adorable and enviable in this Christmas-y red and black outfit. The thing that scares me the most is the big bow. I hate big bows. Somehow, though, I love how she manages to make it look here:

Zooey is apparently one of three people on the planet who can wear the color orange (the other two being my sister and Velma from Scooby Doo. And let's be honest, even Velma doesn't really pull it off too great):

Based on how she dresses, I think if we were to ask Zooey for fashion advice her main tips would be:
  1. Go for a subtle sexy appeal, rather than resorting to slutty.
  2. Dress based on your personality. What you wear reflects a very large part of who you are, and Zooey definitely embodies that.
  3. Be creative, daring, and have fun!

Finally, here's Zooey Deschanel, saying she wants YOU to try to be as cool and fashionable as her:

Saturday, November 7, 2009

The cutest thing you'll ever see

My 5 year old sister Kara dances her heart out. Skip to about 2:10 (or near the end) for that part; the rest is just her school's Halloween parade.

Friday, November 6, 2009

What I Bought

....at ModCloth's huge sale!
I went a little bit crazy and got like five things, but I'm only showing off four here because, sadly, I forgot my Sweet Ice socks at home this past weekend. Sorry folks. I'll showcase them in an upcoming post.

So, first off: the Time on My Hands Ring, originally $18 but I got it for $3.60.






I love the adjustable band-- it makes it wearable for pretty much everybody (literally, everyone I know has taken turns wearing it so far). I also get a kick out telling people that it really does function as a clock. It doesn't.

Next is the Shere Khan necklace (you know, the tiger from The Jungle Book?):



This isn't a very good picture of it, though, so here's a better one:

It's pretty awesome, and I have to admit I sort of feel like a badass whenever I wear it. And I'm pretty much the least badass person you'll ever meet.

I also got the Through the Lens Bag, originally $60 but I got it for $12! AND it was the last one. Beat that, suckers.





I love it because I can fit soooooo much in it (I'm a sucker for giant bags). I'm actually using this for classes more than my usual messenger bag. The great thing about it is that I can feel hip even when I'm just wearing jeans and my old blue peacoat; the bag adds overwhelming chicness to my overall outfit (if I may say so myself). The only thing I worry about is that I just KNOW I'll accidentally rip the lasercut design on the front one of these days. I'll just have to be extra careful with it. I want this bag to last a long, long time.

And finally, the thing I splurged most on is the I-Spy Dress, marked down from $80 to $40 (still a lot for me, but I've wanted this dress FOREVER):


I love the slightly low-cut back, not to mention the fun pop-art design:


I ordered a small rather apprehensively; I wasn't sure how tight it was going to be. When it arrived, it looked more like a medium, and didn't look like it had any shape. Once I put it on, however, the dress clinged to my body perfectly. It hugs all my curves, but not super-tightly. It's definitely a bit on the short side, ending well before my knees, and has a great subtle sexiness to it. It gives me tons of confidence when I wear it. I can't wait to wear it with black tights, an oversized cardigan, my white rainboots or red heels or black lace-up booties--the possibilities are endless! I also love pairing it with my new Shere Khan necklace. I think I know what I'm wearing on my next date. This is definitely my new favorite dress.

Okay, so that's everything I bought at ModCloth's sale. Can't wait for the next one--not like I'll be participating. I'm so broke now.
Come back later this weekend for a post about the impeccable fashion sense of Zooey Deschanel (yes, finally).